Overnight news roundup: 3-4 December

Everything you missed while you were sleeping

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As worldwide sales of notebooks continue to rise, former industry leader Dell has been trying to maintain its current position as the world's second largest notebook manufacturer. And while a recent report from market research firm DisplaySearch confirms that the company is still holding on to the runner-up position, it has lost ground to HP and is losing its lead over Acer.

According to the figures, HP remains the worldwide leader with 6.2 million laptops sold last quarter - 72 per cent more than it sold in the same period last year. HP currently controls 21.4 per cent of the world's notebook market.

Acer on the rise

Dell, on the other hand, has not been so lucky. DisplaySearch says it commands just 13.8 per cent of the notebook market, while Acer sales alone account for 12.8 per cent of all sales made last quarter.

Apple aiming for Fox

In a move that will surely upset legit movie downloaders all over the world, a new report from industry analyst Pali Research asserts that Apple will increase the selling price of movies on its iTunes Store after buckling under pressure from film studios.

According to the analyst, Apple will soon start selling movies for $15 (£7) in an attempt to attract movie studios, such as 20th Century Fox, which have balked at joining the iTunes Store to date.

Pali Research said that this move could be in response to Apple's desire for its iTunes service to be supported by enhanced DVDs, which will include a version of the movie for use on an Apple TV or iPod. Beyond that, the analyst company was unsure of when the increased price will become a reality.

In other news...

In an attempt to become the number one player in the GPS market, Medion has announced an update to its GoPal mapping units with the P4425. Besides a 4.3-inch screen, the P4425's main claim to fame is that it's the world's first GPS device with a fingerprint lock.